Federico bauder



(No Model.)

1 RBAUDER.

PROCESS OF REFI-NINGHSUG'AR.

No. 416,709. PatentedDe'o. 10, 1889.

' WITNE88E8: INVENTOR KM/Z;

N Pains mwutmnpmr. Walhingion, a. c.

expensive nature.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FEDERICO BAUDER, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PROCESS OF REFINING SUGAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,709, dated December10,1889.

Application filed February 11, 1888. Serial No. 263,670. (No model.)Patented in France June 22, 1887, No. 184 376, and in England November2, 1888, No. 16,397-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FEDERIOO BAUDER, of Paris, in the Republic ofFrance, have i11- vented certain new and useful Improvements in theProcess of Refining Sugar, (for which Letters Patent have heretoforebeen granted to me by the Government of France, No. 184,37 6, and datedJune 22, 1887, and England, No. 16,397, of November 2,1888) of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved process of refining sugar bygenerating ozone in the presence of heat, moisture, and electricity, soas to permit the purification, bleaching, and refining of the sugar in arapid and economical manner.

The processes which were heretofore used in refining sugar were of aslow, difficult, and \Vhatever chemical or mechanical processes areemployed the following operations have to be performed: First,dissolving or melting the sugar; second, clarifying the same; third,filtering and discoloring; fourth, boiling; fifth, cleaning; sixth,bleaching, and, seventh, drying the same.

My invention consists, in its general outlines, in a process of refiningsugar by subjecting the mass in dry state to the action of steam, so asto moisten and heat the same, and to the bleaching action of ozonegenerated by electric sparks passed through the moistened mass, whilethe same is simultaneously rotated in a centrifugal machine, so

as to drain off the sirup. After the bleaching action is completedthemass is crushed,

7 bolted, and moistened, and then pressed into suitable shape.

The accompanylng drawing represents a Vertical central section of oneform of cen-' trifugal machine employed in carrying my improved processof refining sugar nto practice.

In my improved process of refining sugar the sugar is taken incrystallized condition as it is delivered by the planter, and firstthoroughly ventilated by forcing air through the same for removingthereby adhering dust and other impurities.

sugar are of medium size, they are left as they are; but if the crystalsare of larger size they are crushed, so as to reduce them toa smaller Ifthe crystals in the smaller size of the crystals or of the powder in thesame. The mass of sugar is next transferred to a centrifugal apparatusprovided with a steam-jacket a, which communicates by a pipe 12, havinga regulating stop-cock b, with the rotary perforated basket d of themachine. By the pipe I) the required quantity of steam is supplied tothe basket. The steam may be of high or low pressure. If the pressuredoes not exceed six atmospheres, the mass of sugar is put into thecentrifugal machine in a perfectly drystate, as the moisture produced bythe steam is sufficient for the bleaching operation. If steam of higherpressure is used, the mass of sugar has to be moistenedto the requireddegree by an atomizer, so as to compensate for the more or less drycondition of the steam.

The centrifugal machine is closed by a hermetically-fitting cover e,which is provided with means for supporting the electrodes ff, that areconnected by conductingwires with a dynamo-electric machine or othersuitable source of electricity. The ends of the electrodes or poles f fare arranged at a greater 'or smaller distance from each other,according to the intensity of the current employed, so as to obtain aconstant spark be tween the poles. The cover 6 also serves to tightlyclose the centrifugal machine, so as to maintain the high temperatureimparted by the steam-jacket and steam to the interior of thecentrifugal machine. After the mass of sugar has been placed in thebasket of the centrifugal machine the same is rotated and the mass firstsubjected for about ten minutes to the action of steam, which has forits object not only to purify the sugar to a certain extent, but also tomoisten it and prepare it for the action of the electric current.

The joint action of the heat and moisture on the crystallized sugarplaces the same in a better condition to be acted on bythe ozonegenerated by the electric current, while the interior of the centrifugalmachine, the current being maintained for about forty minutes, eithercontinuously or intermittingly, according to its intensity and thequality of sugar to be treated. The admission of steam may be kept upcontinuously or intermitting- 1y for a longer or shorter time, accordingto the pressure of the steam; but it has to be stopped at least tenminutes before interrupting the current and stopping the centrifugalmachine. The strength of the electric current Varies according to thequality to be treated and the speed with which the operaation is to becarried out. mass by the centrifugal action of the machine is completed,the sugar crystals are obtained in refined state, while the sirup hasbeen drained off. This sirup undergoes a separate treatment, which willbe described hereinafter. The refined crystals are then removed from thecentrifugal machine and submitted to a. crushing action by means of acrushing-mill either plain or perforated blocks or cones orsmall cubeslike-the ordinary lumps in use. These blocks or pieces are nextsubjected to heat for a greater or less length of time, according to thesize of the same, which imparts to them the dryness and hardness ofordinary fine sugar. The sugar can also be sold directly after beingcrushed and bolted, in which case the buyer can afterward subject it tothe moistening, compressing, and molding operations. After completingthe foregoing operations there remains the sirup and the powder obtainedby the same for further treatment. These two substances may be united insuch proportions as to obtain a thick mass composed of unrefinedportions (sirup) and refined parts, (powden) This mass is transferred tothe centrifugal machine and subjected to the moistening, bleaching, anddraining operations before described, which will be continued until thesirup is exhausted. The sirup and the powder can also be added to a newquantity of sugar. provided the sirup does not contain more moisturethan would be supplied by the steam; If after passing through thedifferent operations the residue of the sirup should contain impurities,it may be clarified by the processes employed by refiners. The thusclarified sirup is then converted into crystals in a centrifugal machineby mixing it with powder-sugar The crystals thus obtained or crushedsugar.

hen the draining of the refined without destroying will then be againsubmitted to the refining operation before described.

The different steps which together form my process can also be applieddirectly (instead of to sugar already crystallized) to the mass ofsugartbefore crystallization by introducing the same into thecentrifugal machine and subjecting it to the different steps of theprocess. In this manner the only operation which is now performedtwicenamely, thedrainingoff of the sirup by centrifugal operation, whichis done first by the manufacturer and then again in refining can beperformed in one operation.

The advantages of my improved process are that, instead of employing thewet process and the many complicated operations which it requires, thesugar is refined by a dry process, which requires but three orfouroperations of great simplicity. The sugar is the crystals, whereby theplant required ,is greatly simplified and rendered much less costly. Thetime required for refining sugar by my process is reduced to a fewhours, while hereto fore it has taken from fifteen to twenty days. Therefining operation can also be accomplished directly by the planterwithout being carried out in special refining establishments.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to securebyLetters Patent 1. The process herein described of refining sugar,which consists in subjecting the same to the simultaneous joint actionof centrifugal force, moisture, heat, and ozone generated by theelectric current, substantially as set forth.

2. The process herein described of refining sugar, which consists insubjecting the same in dry state to centrifugal action in the presenceof moisture, heat, and ozone generated by the electric current,substantially as set forth.

3. Theprocess herein described of refining sugar, which consists insubjecting the crystalline sugar to the 7 simultaneous joint action ofcentrifugal force, moisture, heat, and ozone generated by the electriccurrent, and then drying the bleached and drained crystals,substantially as set forth.

4. The process herein described of refining sugar, which consists insubjecting the crystallized sugar to the simultaneous joint action ofcentrifugal force, moisture, heat, and ozone generated by the electriccurrents, thendrying the crystals, and crushing, bolting, moistening,and pressing them into suitable shapes, substantiallly as set forth. 7

.In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FEDERICO BAUDER.

\Vitnesses:

ROBT. M. HOOPER, ALBERT DE LAUTREPPE'.

